Hydraulically operated steady rest



July 6, 1937. c. G. FLYGARE V HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED STEADY REST Filed Nov/22, 1955 EFIRL [ll-1 YEFIRE \Vil nan Patented July 6, 1937 eli e STATES 2,086,024 v HYDRAULICALLFY OPERATED STEADY REST Carl G. Flygare, Worcestcr,Mass., assignor to Norton Company, 'Worccster, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application November '22, 1935. Serial No. 51,006

9 Claims.

This invention-relates to grinding machines, and more particularly to a hydraulically operated'stea'dyrest for steadying and supporting the work duringa grinding operation.

One ofihe objects of this invention is to provide a simple and thoroughly practicable hydraulically actuated steadyresthaving a pair of steadyrest shoes which serve to engage and. steady the work piece during the grinding operation.

Another object is to provide a hydraulically operated steadyrest which is compact in construction and simple in operation and action during the grinding operation. A further object is to provide 'a'hydraulically operated steadyrest in which a pair of opposedjaxially aligned cylinders and-pistons areprovided to independently move a pair of Work steadying shoes. Another object is to provide an independent control for the admission of fluid under pressure to each cylinder toiindependently control the movement of the shoe. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

' In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the mechanicalfeatures of this invention,

Fig-.lis a cross sectional view of the improved steadyrest .Fig. 2 is'a larged scaleftakenapproximately on the line 2- -2 of Fig. 1; showing the fluid pressure control valve; and

Fig. "3 is a fragmentary'sectional view, on'an enlarged scale, taken approximately on the line 40 3-'3 of Fig. 2.

A steadyrest has been illustrated as mounted on a grinding machine in the usual manner. A rotatable grinding wheel Ii) is supported on a wheel slide (not shown) and arranged to be 45 movedinto operative grinding relation with a rotatablework 'piece l l. A longitudinally movable work table I2 is provided for rotatably supporting the work piece H on the usual rotatable work supports, such as a head and footsto'ck, not shown. A steadyrest base or frame I5 is mounted on the table l2 and is provided with mating surfaces l5 and-l1 which are arranged to mate and fit uponthe upper surface of the table 12. The base is arranged to be clamped in rigid en- 55 gagement with the table H by means of a pair of transverse sectional view, on an'en clamping members which are arranged to enf I gage a dovetailed; surface IS on the table i2. The-upper ends of the clamping members are screw-threaded and provided with clamping nuts which may be turned to lock the steadyrest base l5 into rigid engagement with the table l2.

Thesteadyrest basei5 is providedwith an up- Wardly extendingportion whichserves to support a horizontally slidable member 25 carrying a work-steadying shoe 21 which is preferably arranged to engage thework piece at a point diametrically opposite the line of contact between the grinding wheel and the work piece.

The projection 25 of the base l5 also slidably supports a horizontally slidable rod 38 which is pivotallyconnected'by means of a stud 33 with a pivotally mounted steadyrest member 34 carrying a second worksteadying shoe 35. Themember .34 is'pivot'ally mounted on a stud 35 on the base l5 and is arranged to swing the shoe 35 toward and from the axisof the Work piece H. The steadyrest shoe'35 ispreferably arranged to engage the worklpieceat'a' point below the work axis and at a point adjacent to the line of contact between the grinding wheeland the work piece so as to steady the work piece ll during the grinding operation against the downward thrust of the grinding wheel l0.

- In order to'move the steadyrest shoes -21 and 35rapidly'into and out of operative position with relationto the work piece H, a suitable fluid pressure actuated mechanism isprovided and in the preferredarrangement in order to provide a compact construction which is easily manufactured, a fluid pressure mechanism is provided in which the 'fluid pressure cylinders are arranged in axial alignment with each other.

As" illustrated "in the drawings, the steadyrest base l5 has an upwardly projecting portion 40 which is provided with apair of axially aligned, opposed fluid pressure cylinders 4i and 42. Each of-theicylinders 4| and 42 is provided with a slidably mounted piston 43 and respectively, each offwhichis' provided with an oppositely extending piston rod 45 and'46 respectively. In order able linkage is provided between the piston rods 45 'and 46 may be transmitted to cause a horizontal movement of the'rods 2B and 30, a suitable'linka ge is provided between the pistongrods and the slidable rods 26 and 3!]. A lever 41 is pivotally mounted on a stud 48 which is in turn supported'on a projection 49 of the base I5. The center'of the lever 4'! is provided with a yoked portion 50 having pins 5l'whi'ch engage a groove 52 in a spool-shaped member 53. An adjusting knob 54 is formed integral with the spool 53 and the combined unit is provided with an internal thread which engages a reduced threaded portion 55 on the outer end of the rod 38. The extreme upper end of the lever 41 is pivotally connected by a stud 56 with the outer end of the piston rod 45. It will be readily apparent from the disclosure in the drawings and the foregoing description that adjustment of the knob 54 serves to vary the position of the work steadying shoe 35 relative to the position of the piston 43.

The piston rod 46 is provided with a hollow aperture 59 on its outer end which is engaged by a projection 68 of. an adjusting knob 6|. The projection 68 is of a proper size to rotatably fit within the aperture 59 and is held in position therein by means of a set screw 62 which rides within a groove 63 in the projection 60. The knob 6| has an oppositely extending projection 64 which is provided with an internally threaded portion 65 arranged to engage a correspondingly threaded portion 66 on the slidable rod 26 so that rotation of the knob 6| serves to adjust the position of the steadyrest shoe 2! relative to the piston 44.

The nut and screw adjusting devices between the steadyrest shoes 2! and 35 and pistons 44 and 43 respectively serve to permit adjustment of. the position of the shoes 2! and 35 relative to the fluid pressure pistons in setting up the machine for a given size work piece.

Fluid under pressure is supplied from any suitable source, such as a fluid pressure pump on the grinding machine or from an outside source. Fluid under pressure passing through a pipe It! enters a fluid pressure chamber II in a downwardly projecting portion I2 of the steadyrest base I5. Fluid under pressure entering the chamber II passes through a port I3 and through an adjustable needle valve I4, through an upwardly extending passage 15, into a cylinder chamber 16, to cause the piston 44 to move horizontally into the position illustrated in Fig. 1. This motion serves through the piston rod 46, the adjusting knob BI, and the rod 26, to move the shoe 2! into operative engagement with the work piece Similarly, fluid under pressure within the chamber II passes through a port l8,"through a needle valve I9, and upwardly through a passage 88, into a cylinder chamber 8| to move the piston 43 toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, which serves through the pivotally mounted lever 4'! to transmit an endwise movement of the rod 39 toward the left (Fig. 1) which rocks the pivotally mounted shoe member 34 in a counterclockwise direction to move the shoe 35 into operative supporting engagement with the work piece II.

In order that the steadyrest shoes may be withdrawn rapidly from engagement with the work after the work piece has been ground to a predetermined size, a separate exhaust passage is provided to permit a rapid exhaust of fluid from the cylinder chambers 16 and 8|. A passage 82 from the cylinder is covered by a ball check valve 83. During the period when fluid under pressure is admitted to the chamber .II, the ball is held in a fixed position on its seat 84 so that fluid cannot pass through the passage 82 but is forced through the port I3 and needle valve I4 at a controlled rate. When the fluid pressure is out 01f from the chamber TI and fluid contained within the chamber II is permitted to exhaust therefrom, fluid under pressure within the cylinder chamber I6 is allowed to pass through passage 82 and to raise the ball check valve 83 from its seat 84 and allow the exhaust fluid to enter the chamber II and to exhaust therefrom.

Similarly, a passage 85 is provided which extends downwardly from the cylinder chamber 8| and is closed at its lower end by a ball check valve 86 having a seat 81 to close the passage 85 when fluid is admitted under pressure to the chamber II. The ball valve 86 serves to permit exhaust of fluid from the cylinder chamber 8| when pressure is released from the chamber II. In order that the steadyrest shoes 2! and 35 may be rapidly removed to an inoperative position when the fluid pressure is cut off from the chamber II and fluid is allowed to exhaust from the cylinder chambers I6 and 8| and the chamber II, a yieldable device is provided to rapidly exhaust the fluid and move the shoes 21 and 35 from engagement with the work piece II. A spring 89 surrounds the piston rod 45 and is contained within an aperture 90in the piston 43 and is interposed between a surface 9| on the piston 43 and a cylinder head 92. The spring 89 exerts a pressure on the piston 43 to move the same towards the right (Fig. 1) and to rapidly exhaust fluid from the cylinder chamber 8| when the pressure is cut off to rapidly withdraw the shoe 35 to an inoperative position.

Similarly, a spring 95 surrounds the piston rod 46 and is contained within an aperture 96 in the piston 44 and is interposed between a surface 91 on the piston 44 and a cylinder head 98. The spring 95 exerts a pressure on the piston 44 and moves it toward the left (Fig. l) to rapidly exhaust fluid from the cylinder chamber I6 when the pressure is cut off to rapidly withdraw thI shoe 2! to an inoperative position.

In order to regulate the extent of withdrawal of the steadyrest shoes from engagement with the work between grinding operations, it is desirable to provide an adjustable stop device so that the withdrawal of the individual shoes may be varied as desired. As illustrated in the drawing, the piston rod 45 is provided with a stop collar I80 which is preferably integrally formed on the piston rod 45 and is arranged to engage an adjustable stop screw IIJI mounted on the end of the portion 40 and held in place in adjusted position thereon by means of a lock nut I02. When the shoe 35 moves away from the work under the influence of the released tension of the spring 89, the collar I80 engages the adjustable stop screw I [II and limits the extent of withdrawal of the work shoe 35. Similarly, an adjustable stop screw I84 is mounted on the end of the portion 40 and is arranged to be engaged by the knob 6| to limit the movement of the shoe 21 away from the Work. The adjusting screw I84 is held in adjusted position by means of a lock nut I05. It will be readily apparent that by adjusting the position of the stop screws IDI and I04, the shoes 21 and 35 may be withdrawn to any desired extent, depending upon the nature of the work being ground.

In the operation of this improved steadyrest, the fluid under pressure is admitted to the chamber II to cause the pistons 43 and 44 to move in opposite directions away from each other to move the shoes 35 and 21 into operative engagement with the work piece I to support and steady the same during the grinding operation. By manipulation of the needle valves I4 and I9, the passage of fluid under pressure into the cylinder chambers 8| and 16 may be varied aosegoai so that either the piston '43 or the piston 44 may be moved so as to 'cause either the shoe '21 or the work steadying shoe 35 to be moved into engagement with the work piece I l before the other shoe contacts therewith. In the preferred operation oi the steadyrest, however, it is desirable to move the steadyrest shoe 35 into operative position to engage the under side of the work piece H so as to support the same against the rotary thrust of the grinding wheel l0 before the horizontally movable shoe 2! is moved into supporting engagement therewith. This may be accomplished by adjusting the needle valve 19 so that the fluid may pass through this valve quicker than it can pass through the other needle valve 14.

In setting up the steadyrest for grinding a work piece'of a predetermined size, the operator manipulates theadjusting knobs '54 and BI to adjust the position of the'steadyrest shoes 21 and 35. After this adjustment has been made, the parts are maintained in the fixed adjusted position during successive grinding operations.

In the preferred operation of the improved steadyrest, the work steadying shoes 21 and 35 are moved into operative engagement with the periphery of the work piece ll being ground under the influence of fluid pressure'within the cylinder chambers 16 and 8| respectively, and the shoes 21 and 35 are maintained with a predetermined, uniform pressure in operative steadying engagement with the work piece H as the grinding operation proceeds by the fluid pressure mechanism. In setting up the steadyrest for grinding a given piece of work, a work piece of the finished size may be placed in the machine. Fluid under pressure is admitted through the chamber H to move the pistons 43 and 44 into their outward positions, as illustrated in Fig. 1. When the pistons are in their outward positions, the shoes 2? and 35 are then adjusted into the desired supporting relationship with the work piece I! by manipulation of the knobs 54 and'lil. Then the fluid is cut off from the chamber 1|, allowing the fluid contained therein and in the cylinder chambers 16 and 8| to exhaust so as to permit the work steadying shoes 21 and 35 to move out of operative contact with the work piece ll.

If desired, the steadyrest shoes may be brought into operating position by means of the "fluid pressure mechanism, that is, the shoes may be adjusted so that the pistons 43 and 44 will engage the ends of their respective cylinders when the steadyrest shoes 21 and 35 are about to engage the surface of the work piece H to be ground. Then the shoes may be adjusted manually by means of the adjusting knobs 54 and Bi during the grinding operation to maintain the shoes in the desired supporting relationship with the work piece during the grinding operation.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention apparatus in which the various objects hereinabove set forth together with many thoroughly practical advantages are successfully achieved.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:-

1. A steadyrest for a grinding machine comprising a base, means to clamp said base on the machine, a horizontally movable steadyrest shoe arranged to engage the work opposite to the grinding wheel,a pivotallymounted shoe arranged to engage the work at a point belowthe work axis, means including a pair of independently operated fluid pressure pistons and cylinders each of which is operatively connected to move one of said steadyrest shoes into or out of operative contact with the work piece, and a pair of independently adjustable valves associated with one of said cylinders which serve to independently adjust the rate of fluid under pressure entering the respective cylinders independently to control the rate of movement of each shoe.

2; A steadyrest for a grinding machine comprising a base, means to support said base on the machine, a movable steadyrest shoe arranged to engage the work opposite to the grinding wheel,

a second movable steadyrest shoe arranged to engage the work below the work axis, a pair of independently operated fluid pressure pistons and cylinders each of which is operatively connected to move one of said steadyrest shoes into or out of operative contact with the work piece, a manually operable means interposed between each of the shoes and the pistons to independently adjust the position of each shoe relative to the piston, and a pair of independentlyadjustable valves to independentlycontrol the rate of admission of fluid under pressure to each of said cylinders to independently control the rate of movement of the shoes towards the work piece.

3. A steadyrest for a grinding machine comprising a base,--means to support said base on the machine, a movable steadyrest shoe arranged to engage the work opposite to the grinding wheel, I

a second movablesteadyrest shoe arranged to engage the work below the work axis, a pair of independently operated fluid pressure pistons and cylinders each of which is operatively connected to move one of said steadyrest shoes into or out of operative contact with the work piece,

a manually operable nut and screw adjustment interposed between each of the shoes and its actuating piston, and apair of independently adjustable valves arranged to independently control the rate of admission of fluid under pressure to each of said cylinders to independently control the rate of movement of each shoe.

4. A steadyrest for a grinding machine comprising a base, means to support said base on the machine, amovable steadyrest shoe arranged to engage the work opposite to the grinding wheel, a second movable steadyrest shoe arranged to engage the work below the work axis, a pair of fluid pressure pistons and cylinders each of which is operatively connected to move one of said steadyrest shoes toward the work piece, a fluid pressure chamber within said steadyrest base, and a pair of adjustable valves interposed between said chamber and each of said cylinders which serve to independently control the movement of each shoe into engagement with the work. V

5. A steadyrest for a grinding machine comprising a base, means to support said base on a grinding machine, a horizontally movable shoe arranged to engage the work opposite the grinding wheel, a pivo-tally mounted shoe arranged to engage the work at a point below the work axis, means including a pair of opposed, axially aligned fluid pressure cylinders on said base, a slidably mounted piston in each of said cylinders, a piston rod operatively connected to each of said pistons, adjustable connections between one of said piston rods and the horizontally movable shoe, adjustable connections between the second piston rod and the pivotally mounted shoe, said connections being arranged to move the shoes into supporting engagement with the work when the pistons are moved in opposite directions, and means to admit fluid under pressure into said cylinders to move the pistons in opposite directions to move the shoes into steadying engagement with the Work.

6. A steadyrest for a grinding machine comprising a base, means to support said base on a grinding machine, a horizontally movable shoe arranged to engage the work opposite the grinding wheel, a pivotally mounted shoe arranged to engage the work at a point below the work axis, means including a pair of opposed, axially aligned fluid pressure cylinders on said base, a slidably mounted piston in each of said cylinders, a piston rod operatively connected to each of said pistons, adjustable connections between one of said piston rods and the horizontally movable shoe, adjustable connections between the second piston rod and the pivotally mounted shoe, said connections being arranged to move the shoes into supporting engagement with the work when the pistons are moved in opposite directions, means to admit fluid to said cylinders to move the pistons away from each other, and means to independently control the admission of fluid under pressure to each of said cylinders to independently control the movement of each shoe toward the work.

7. A steadyrest for a grinding machine comprising a base, means to support said base on a grinding machine, a horizontally movable shoe arranged toengage the work opposite the grinding wheel, a pivotally mounted shoe arranged to engage the work at a point below the work axis, means including a pair of opposed, axially aligned fluid pressure cylinders on said base, a slidably mounted piston in each of said cylinders, a piston rod operatively connected to each of said pistons, adjustable connections between one of said piston rods and the horizontally movable shoe, adjustable connections between the second piston rod and the pivotally mounted shoe, said connections being arranged to move the shoes into supporting engagement with the work when the pistons are moved in opposite directions, means to admit fluid simultaneously to said cylinders to move the pistons in opposite directions so as to move the steadyrest shoes into steadying engagement with the work piece, and yieldable means associated with each of said pistons to return each piston to an inoperative position.

8.'A steadyrest for a grinding machine comprising a base, means to support said base on the grinding machine, a horizontally movable shoe arranged to engage the work opposite the grinding wheel, a pivotally mounted shoe arranged to engage the work at a point below the work axis, a piston and cylinder arranged in alignment with the horizontally movable shoe and arranged to move the same toward or from the work surface, a horizontally slidable member pivotally connected to move said second shoe, a lever pivotally mounted on said base and operatively connected to move said rod endwise, a second piston and cylinder arranged in axial alignment with the first piston and cylinder, connections between the second piston and said lever which serve to rock said lever and slide the rod endwise to move the second shoe toward or from the work piece, and means to admit fluid under pressure simultaneously to said cylinders to move the shoe into operative engagement with the work to steady the same during the grinding operation.

9. A steadyrest for a grinding machine comprising base, means to support said base on the grinding machine, a horizontally movable shoe arranged to engage the work opposite the grinding wheel, a pivotally mounted shoe arranged to engage the work at a point below the work axis, a piston and cylinder arranged in alignment with the horizontally movable shoe and arranged to move the same toward or from the worksurface, a horizontally slidable member pivotally connected to move said second shoe, a lever pivotally mounted on said base and operatively connected to move said rod endwise, a second piston and cylinder arranged in axial alignment with the first piston and cylinder, connections between the second piston and said lever which serve to rock said lever and slide the rod endwise to move the second shoe toward or from the work piece, means to admit fluid under-pressure simultaneously tosaid' cylinders, and means including an adjustable valve to independently control the admission of fluid under pressure to each of said cylinders.

CARL G. FLYGARE.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,086,024. July 6, 1937.

CARL G. FLYGARE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, second column, line 46, strike out the words "able linkage is provided between" and insert instead that the opposed movements of; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of September, A. D. 1937.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

